Elizabeth Howard, Countess of Wiltshire (circa 1480 - April 3, 1538), was the daughter of Thomas Howard, the Duke of Norfolk, and his first wife, Elizabeth Tilney. She was the mother of Queen Anna Bolena (wife of Henry VIII) and maternal grandmother of Queen Elizabeth I of England.
The Howard family descended from Edward III of England and during the reign of York had a ducal title.
He entered the royal court as a young man and here he met his future husband, Thomas Boleyn.
The couple had six children:
Her older daughters Maria and Anna were educated at the Royal French Court as they were sent as bridesmaids following Princess Mary Tudor, the future queen of France. Both became successively enthusiasts of Henry VIII of England and the latter succeeded in becoming queen. Enrico and Anna's daughter was named grandparents, both called Elizabeth.
With Anna's rise to court, a series of privileges and riches began to come to the forefront of Howard and Bolena. The Bolena spouses could actually stay at the royal palace. In June 1525 Thomas was named Viscount of Rochford and in December 1529 Count of Wiltshire and Ormond.
Having become Queen Anna, she remained next to her daughter as her company lady. The other daughter, Maria Bolena, was also the widow of her first husband, but she had to leave the court in 1534 as she became pregnant with a soldier who had secretly married. Neither Elizabeth nor Anna helped Mary.
Bolena's fortunes faded out of Anna's infidelity and her condemnation to death. Along with her was also sentenced to her brother George.
Collapsed by the loss of her children, Elizabeth left the court and retired to the countryside. Bibliografiamodifica wikitesto
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